diff --git a/src/services/main/init.ts b/src/services/main/init.ts
index 488a34cc..c7a7fd4b 100644
--- a/src/services/main/init.ts
+++ b/src/services/main/init.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export const initMainHandler = async (log: PubLogger, mainSettings: MainSettings
         const sanityChecker = new SanityChecker(storageManager, mainHandler.lnd)
         await sanityChecker.VerifyEventsLog()
     }
-    await mainHandler.paymentManager.watchDog.Start()
+    mainHandler.paymentManager.watchDog.Start()
     const appsData = await mainHandler.storage.applicationStorage.GetApplications()
     const existingWalletApp = await appsData.find(app => app.name === 'wallet' || app.name === 'wallet-test')
     if (!existingWalletApp) {
diff --git a/src/services/main/watchdog.ts b/src/services/main/watchdog.ts
index 52102d8c..1f883bc5 100644
--- a/src/services/main/watchdog.ts
+++ b/src/services/main/watchdog.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export class Watchdog {
                 setTimeout(() => {
                     this.log("Provider did not become ready in time, starting without it")
                     res('failed')
-                }, 60 * 1000)
+                }, 30 * 1000)
             })
         ])
 
@@ -56,7 +56,13 @@ export class Watchdog {
         if (result === 'ready') {
             providerBalance = await this.liquidProvider.GetLatestBalance()
         }
-        await this.StartWatching(providerBalance)
+        try {
+            await this.StartWatching(providerBalance)
+        } catch (err: any) {
+            this.log("Failed to start watchdog", err.message || err)
+            throw err
+        }
+
     }
     StartWatching = async (providerBalance: number) => {
         this.log("Starting watchdog")